Nature's "Germproof" Packages.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 10 July 1914, Page 8

Nature's "Germproof" Packages.

Nature has always been doing what man has only recently attempted— that is, delivering many of its eatables in sterile or germ-proof packages. The best instance of this is the banana, a fruit that has only lately come to be recognised in Britain at its true value.

Many experiments have been made with the skin of the banana by bacteriologists, and they have found the skin practically impregnable to genius. Furthermore, the inner pulp of the skin is germ-free or sterile. Bananas have even been placed in liquids containing cultures of known organisms, and yet none of these. wore able to penetrate into the fruit itself.

.Everyone knows how the edible portion of the banana is packed away in a close-fitting covering which very seldom cracks open, even when dead ripe. This skin not only protects the fruit from the -atmosphere and various insects and from bruising to a considerable degree, but it keeps out all germs. Dr. E. M. Bailey has made various bacteriological examinations of bananas at different stages of their ripening, and he declares that the inner pulp of .ripe bananas is practically sterile. The probability of infection from bananas is, indeed, slight. Care should be taken to have the peel of the banana clean, as anything on the outside might be transferred to the hands and thence to the fruit, and so to the mouth, but with this care taken there is no danger. It is probably one of the cleanest fruits.

Some nuts are bored by worms, but nuts that have no worm-holes are also practically sterile and no germs get in them. Since nature takes such precautions in many of her offerings, there seems no reason why man should not also take every precaution in protecting other food, taking pains to put it not only in handy packages, but in packages through which germs may not enter.